SHILLONG, Jan 27: In a first-of-its-kind attempt, the Khasi Authors’ Society (KAS) has undertaken the task of compiling a Khasi-to-Khasi dictionary to help both Khasis and non-Khasis to pronounce Khasi words correctly.
Speaking with The Shillong Times on Thursday, KAS treasurer Prof Badaplin War, who was conferred with the Padma Shri on the eve of Republic Day, said the project has just taken off and they will try to complete the dictionary within three years.
Prof War is supervising the project and is being assisted by Prof Barika Khyriem, Assistant Professor of the Department of Linguistics, NEHU. Six research associates are also involved in the project.
Prof War said the research associates have used a software to collect the data and codify the language.
“The objective is to codify and standardize the Khasi language in the written form. The first aim is to collect and list out as many Khasi words as possible. So far we have not been able to do that. We need time to compile the words which already exists in our language,” she said.
On the progress made so far, Prof War said the research associates were collecting data and Khasi words from different written sources and also conducting fieldwork.
According to her, the associated will need to look into those terms that have been added to the Khasi language with the development made in various disciplines like Science and Technology and other areas of knowledge.
She said her team will be working with experts from different areas and disciplines and with those who possess a vast vocabulary of Khasi words.
Prof War said the team will give the definition and explanation of each word in the Khasi language and then they will add the English equivalent of those words.
The dictionary will have phonetic transcription of each of the lexical entries so that anyone reading the dictionary will get to know the correct pronunciation of those words.
The team will first work on a hard copy of the dictionary while will be followed by an online version so as to cater to a wider range of readers.
Stating that the state government is funding the project, she pointed out that the fund being made available to the team would not be enough since the project entails a lot of fieldwork involving a lot of experts.
Prof War also said that the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council is planning to provide funds. She added that they were planning to seek financial help from NEHU.